With deep gratitude for her work and leadership, we announce that Kalia Xiong, our Capitol Pathways Program Director for the last nine years, is moving on from the Citizens League in August. She has been accepted into the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota Master of Public Policy program, which she will begin full time this fall.
This is, of course, a bittersweet announcement for all of us at Citizens League – but most importantly, we are incredibly excited for Kalia and proud that she will continue her career in public policy right here in Minnesota at one of the top public policy schools in the country!
Kalia joined the Citizens League in 2016 as a recent graduate of Macalester College to manage our Capitol Pathways program, of which she was a participant during the program’s inaugural year. During her nine-year tenure at the League, Kalia built and greatly strengthened Capitol Pathways into a one-of-a-kind program, providing policymaking and public service experience to hundreds of college students in Minnesota who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color.
Over the course of her time in this role, she has fostered strong relationships with more than 100 intern host organizations throughout the state; partnered with policy leaders to provide policy and professional development training to interns; and grew a robust Capitol Pathways alumni network of nearly 350 past participants, many of whom have continued their careers in elected office, public service, and other policy areas. Kalia has made Capitol Pathways a cornerstone of the Citizens League’s work, engaging young leaders in civic life and public policy to make Minnesota a better place to live and work for everyone.
While we will miss her presence in the day-to-day work of Capitol Pathways, we are so grateful to Kalia for her nine years of passion, equity, diligence and relationship-building that has made Capitol Pathways what it is today. We are also elated that Kalia will be staying in Minnesota with her new adventure at the Humphrey School, and are so excited to see what she’ll do next.
Best of luck, Kalia! We hope to continue crossing paths with you as you continue your policy career!